This invention relates to a liquid container for containing a fluid or semi-fluid product, such as liquid cosmetic foundation, cosmetic lotion, medical paste, shoe paste, and wax, for example, and can be packaged in a flat case and carried for portable use.
Most conventional liquid containers for containing a fluid or semi-fluid products, such as liquid foundation, lotion or other cosmetic preparations, were bottles, jars, tubes, and so forth, combined with lids. These containers, however, were inconvenient for portable use and were not attractive in the mode of use.
As an improvement in these respects, there was proposed a liquid cosmetic cartridge disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Post-Examination Publication No. 62(1987)-41701. The cartridge comprises a resilient casing with a ship-shaped bottom and a lid member having a through hole and a liquid reservoir and mounted onto the resilient casing. When the resilient casing is compressed by depressing the lid member, the liquid is pushed out through the through hole.
When the liquid in the container decreases, the liquid remains in the center of the resilient casing, and can be discharged to the final amount thereof when the lid member is depressed to bring the inner surface of the lid member into contact with the bottom surface of the resilient casing. Thus, the container is convenient in the mode of supply of the content and for portable use by packaging in a compact, or other flat portable case.
The conventional cartridge, however, has no own means for air-tightly sealing the content, and involves the following problems.
One of the problems lies in that the cartridge itself cannot be used as an independent container because air-tight sealing of the content in the cartridge relies on a cover case.
Another problem lies in that it is difficult to air-tightly maintain a highly fluid content or a highly volatile content even by using the cover case. Moreover, air is inevitably introduced into the container upon restoration of the resilient casing after being depressed for supply of the content, and the content is likely to lose moisture and to change in quality due to the air.
Another problem lies in restoration of the resilient casing. Since the resilient restores its original aspect after being depressed, a user cannot readily know the amount of content remaining in the container. Moreover, since the resilient casing suctions air upon restoration, the content is jetted out scattered together with the air.
Therefore, the use of the cartridge has been limited only to particular kinds of liquid cosmetics.